Important Message from SSW Dean Evaon Wong

Dear PSU School of Social Work Colleagues,

It has been my great privilege to serve as the Dean of the School of Social Work over the past two years. As this academic year draws to a close, I have decided to return to my research and teaching and will be stepping aside from my role as Dean, effective July 1, 2026. My research focuses on breast cancer and mental health, and I have received an international invitation to collaborate and expand this project. However, it is difficult for me to accept this opportunity while continuing in my current administrative role.

I make this transition with a deep awareness of the challenges and uncertainties currently facing our School and the broader university. Foremost among these is the necessity of budget reductions. It is imperative that we refine the university’s fiscal framework to ensure a sustainable future for the generations of students to follow. To achieve this, it will be vital to engage thoughtfully with President Cudd’s vision for cost efficiency and educational effectiveness. I am confident that our School possesses the resilience and expertise to be a valuable partner in that process.

While structural changes may lie ahead, I believe this School will continue to flourish regardless of whether we remain a separate school or become a school within a larger College framework. Our strength lies in our mission and our people, not just our administrative structure.

In times of transition, it is worth reflecting on some accomplishments that should provide a strong foundation for the future:

• We have recruited exceptional staff, including the Director of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and a Senior Fiscal Officer with deep PSU financial expertise and institutional knowledge. We also successfully transitioned the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs from an interim to a permanent role. Each of these exceptional leaders are serving the School very effectively now and deserve continued support.
• We promoted two Tenure Track faculty to Program Directors, hired a new RRI Director, and appointed a new PhD Program Chair. These roles are especially challenging right now, and I am confident that they will rise to the task ahead.
• We emerged through the PIVOT processes successfully and programs were categorized as “grow” or “sustain” in PIVOT 1, and “sustain” or “reassess” in PIVOT 2.
• I have been honored to sign off on all TTF and NTTF promotions and approved all sabbatical applications during the past two cycles, ensuring our faculty are energized and positioned for long-term impact. We also transitioned a 50% University Studies faculty position to a 100% SSW faculty line.
• We organized and celebrated Social Work month in March with a number of outstanding faculty/student presentations and very special alumni-led workshops.
• We reestablished the School of Social Work Advisory Council, bringing together community leaders to collaborate with us in order to ensure our mission and vision remain aligned with the needs of those we serve.
• We positioned the School positively with past and potentially consequential future donors who greatly support the School’s work.

All in all, the School of Social Work is in an enviable position. We secured a full 8-year accreditation in 2025, our enrollment remains strong, and the demand for skilled social service workers continues to grow. We remain deeply embedded in the broader community, upholding a reputation for excellence and service that is known throughout the state. These are just some of our many positive achievements.

As I prepare for this departure, I do so with confidence that the School will continue to be successful. Provost Chabon will share information about interim leadership arrangements as they are confirmed. My hope is that the SSW community will be united and focused on our essential mission, doing so while - as the message board outside my office reminds us daily - being kind, being grateful, and being of service.

Respectfully,

Evaon Wong